Rephonic
Artwork for The Town

The Town with Matthew Belloni

The Ringer
Netflix
Hollywood
Disney
Paramount
Youtube
Warner Bros. Discovery
Streaming Services
HBO Max
Warner Bros.
Donald Trump
Taylor Swift
David Ellison
Oscars
Streaming Wars
NFL
HBO
Marvel
Comcast
Cinemacon
Sinners

Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni takes you inside Hollywood, using exclusive reporting and insight to explain the backstories on everything from Marvel movies to streaming wars. Multiple times each week, Matt is joined by major executives, dealmakers, and journalists, to discuss what is getting made and why, who is winning and losing, and what people in show business are actually talking abou... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes646Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Town

Latest Episodes

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw are joined by California Attorney General Rob Bonta to discuss California’s new lawsuit to block Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. They talk about what the lawsuit highlights and avoids, Param... more

Matt is joined by Colleen Bell, the director of the California Film Commission, to check in on the state of film and TV production in California following the cap increase to $750M about a year ago. They discuss the increase in shoot days in Californ... more

YouTube

Matt is joined by producer Scott Glassgold to discuss internet IP and the short-story boom that has taken over Hollywood after major successes in ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’, whether this is a micro or macro trend, how these internet stories are deve... more

YouTube

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to select their winners and losers in the entertainment industry so far this year, from actors with surprise hits, studio heads with embarrassing flops, CEOs of struggling companies, and producers that made hu... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Steve Buck
Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of EntTelligence (EntElligence)
EntElligence
Episode: Why Attendance Tells a Better Story Than Box Office
Emily Glazer
Enterprise Reporter at The Wall Street Journal; Pulitzer Prize winner
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: How Larry Ellison’s Trump Bromance Is Helping WarnerMount
Keach Hagey
Reporter at The Wall Street Journal and author of The Optimist
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: Amazon Won’t Release Its Sam Altman Movie. Will Anyone?
Jessie Lopez
Episode: The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral
Lane Brown
Features writer at New York Magazine and author of The Feed is Fake
New York Magazine
Episode: The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral
Matt Pevic
Episode: The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral
John Mass
President of Content Partners
Content Partners
Episode: Have Platforms Unseated Content as King in Hollywood?
Sean Evans
Host of Hot Ones
Hot Ones
Episode: Bonus Episode! Matt Risks His Life Eating Wings With Sean Evans of ‘Hot Ones.’
Mynette Louie
Producer, Columbia University professor and indie film strategist
Columbia University; Independent Producer
Episode: The ‘Obsession’ Windfall and How Indie Hits Pay Out

Host

Matt Belloni
Host of The Town with Matthew Belloni; longtime Puck/The Town founder and industry insider.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.6k ratings
  • Did they speed up the guests

    Generally love this podcast but in the last week, it feels like the guests’ voices are sped up in post? They sound slightly clipped in an unnatural way.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Ejsmurphy
    United States23 days ago
  • No like

    This host is so unlikeable

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ThaGame75
    United Statesa month ago
  • Ick

    Just giving ick.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Office in my car
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love the show - Matt is the best

    Matt is brutally honest and makes the show great

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wkuhn1234
    United Statesa month ago
  • Sad & disappointing, explicit political bias

    Woof! You were totally right. You should never discuss politics on this podcast. I absolutely LOATHED this episode. This was the most egregious glazing of boring, middle-of-the-road-skewing-right politics that I’ve ever heard.

    While there were some strategically placed criticisms of Bass, otherwise Hamby was practically gooning for her. Subtlely throwing jabs at Raman, while at the same time, commending and elevating hard-right, AI-loving filth Spencer Pratt.

    And just moments before that, whil... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Bermuda Shabazz
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests repeatedly bring valuable context and industry color, which many find worthwhile.
Criticism centers on the host's loud, interruptive style; some listeners find it polarizing.
Listeners appreciate sharp industry analysis and candid guest insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Amazon Won’t Release Its Sam Altman Movie. Will Anyone?
Q: Why did Amazon reportedly pull the film from release, and what are the implications for other studios?
Amazon reportedly felt the film's darker portrayal and potential backlash did not align with their risk tolerance or strategic interests, which could push other studios to pass on similarly charged projects or demand safer, less controversial versions to protect their broader business interests.
Amazon Won’t Release Its Sam Altman Movie. Will Anyone?
Q: What is the relationship between Amazon and OpenAI, and why does that matter for this film?
Amazon provides cloud infrastructure and has become a key partner for OpenAI, influencing access to government work and strategic positioning in AI—factors that complicate decisions around releasing a film that portrays Altman and AI in a critical light.
The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral
Q: Do you think a truly organic viral moment like Barbenheimer can still happen naturally amid these techniques?
He suggests that while organic moments can occur, they are increasingly outpaced by engineered campaigns; even high-profile moments require amplification to stand out in a fractured media landscape, making true organic virality rarer.
The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral
Q: Lane, how prevalent do you think this clipping culture is today and how ubiquitous is it on the web?
Lane explains that clipping is widespread across many sectors, with studios and agencies outsourcing to clipping shops and Discord servers; some campaigns go viral while others don't, and the practice is now deeply embedded in how marketing operates, often blurring lines between paid promotion and genuine fan activity.
The Right and Wrong Lessons From ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’
Q: Should Hollywood lean into youth culture and bring in younger leadership?
Yes, younger leadership and fresher perspectives can help studios stay connected with new audiences, though it needs to be paired with experienced guidance to manage risk.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Town

What is The Town about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers Hollywood dealmaking, strategy, and the evolving landscape of streaming and cinema, driven by sharp market analysis and candid conversations with executives, producers, and journalists. Episodes regularly scrutinize upfronts, studio slates, antitrust moves, and the economics of theaters and streaming, often blending reporting with behind-the-scenes storytelling and live industry color. A standout trait is the host's appetite for high-profile guests and provocative takes, which can yield deep dives into studio strategy as well as broader media trends. The format typically includes sponsor reads and a fast-paced, opinionated banter that keeps industry insiders engaged and curious about what's really moving the business of en... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Town?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Town. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Town and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Town get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Town, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Town?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Town, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Town have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Town has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Town?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Town:

1. The Big Picture
2. The Watch
3. The Business
4. Ankler Agenda
5. The Prestige TV Podcast

How many episodes of The Town are there?

The Town launched 4 years ago and published 646 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Town?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Town?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Town from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Town?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Town. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Town?

Recent guests on The Town include:

1. Steve Buck
2. Emily Glazer
3. Keach Hagey
4. Jessie Lopez
5. Lane Brown
6. Matt Pevic
7. John Mass
8. Sean Evans

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days